Sean O’Malley Confident in Knocking Out Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292

Sean O’Malley holds a strong belief that his upcoming bout against Aljamain Sterling will end with Sterling unconscious on the canvas.

Scheduled as the main event for UFC 292 in Boston on August 19, O’Malley aims to halt Sterling’s two-year reign as the bantamweight champion. O’Malley has been undefeated in his last four fights, earning this title shot with an impressive split decision victory over Petr Yan.

Known for his knockout abilities, O’Malley makes no secret of his preferred strategy in the upcoming clash.

“I’ll stick to my style,” O’Malley confidently stated during a media scrum backstage at UFC 290 in Las Vegas. “It’s quite apparent that this is a classic striker versus grappler matchup. That’s it. My goal is to step into that octagon and knock him out cold. That’s what I do every time I step into the ring. Has anyone been able to hurt Petr Yan? Has anyone been able to catch him off-guard? I managed to drop him to his knee in the second round.”

“Finding people’s chins is what I do. I’ve built my career on delivering first-round knockouts. Sterling cuts a significant amount of weight, and when you cut so much, your brain fluid reduces. It doesn’t take many punches. It could just take one shot on the chin to put him down, and I know I have that capability. That’s how I envision the fight going,” O’Malley added.

Sterling has only been knocked out once in his career, which occurred in December 2017 when an ill-timed shot resulted in him eating a devastating knee strike from Marlon Moraes. Since that defeat, Sterling has not only avenged his loss but has also emerged victorious in his last nine fights.

Most recently, Sterling spoiled the comeback of former two-division champion Henry Cejudo, securing a split decision win at UFC 288. Acknowledging Sterling’s accomplishments, O’Malley understands why he is considered the underdog heading into their title match.

“Look at who he’s beaten, look at the guys he’s defeated in his last four or five fights,” O’Malley acknowledged. “My best win is over Petr Yan, a very tough and closely contested fight. So, from that perspective, it makes sense. But my fight against Petr was the same; the odds were stacked against me, and at one point, they were even worse. I embrace that. It fuels me, and I’m thrilled to step in there and fight the best bantamweight in the world.”

“If I go in there and knock him out, what does that make me?” O’Malley pondered.

The UFC bantamweight title has proven challenging to defend, with Sterling being the only fighter to successfully retain it for more than two consecutive bouts. This feat might prompt the UFC to grant Sterling an immediate rematch if O’Malley pulls off the upset victory.

However, O’Malley envisions a different scenario, where Sterling follows through with his plan to move up to the featherweight division, while he establishes his own championship legacy in the bantamweight division.

“I know he’s mentioned that after this fight, he’s moving up to 145 pounds regardless. So, this is a risky fight for him,” O’Malley explained. “He could move up now, become a champion, and potentially secure a champion vs. champion fight. But he’s taking a gamble because he knows he’ll get paid handsomely for this fight. It’s a massive fight, particularly in terms of pay-per-view. As for beating him twice, there are many intriguing fighters in the division right now. I’m aware that Deiveson Figueiredo is set to face Dominick Cruz. So, there are some captivating matchups on the horizon. Therefore, I would say no to an immediate rematch. He should go in there, get the job done, move up to 145 pounds if he wishes, and then I’ll continue fighting.”

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More about UFC 292

• UFC 292 Official Website
• Sean O’Malley UFC Profile
• Aljamain Sterling UFC Profile
• UFC Bantamweight Division Rankings
• UFC 292 Main Event Preview